The invention relates to an armrest subassembly for a vehicle door for installation in a motor vehicle that has a vehicle longitudinal axis, which when the vehicle is being driven straight corresponds to the driving direction, and a vertical vehicle axis, which runs perpendicular to the vehicle longitudinal axis.
An armrest subassembly of this kind includes an arm support which is vertically adjustable along the vertical vehicle axis, and a guide device by means of which the armrest is guided along the vertical vehicle axis.
An armrest subassembly of this kind is known from DE 40 02 242 A1. The guide device described there comprises two parallel guide rails extending in the adjustment direction of the arm support and spaced from each other in the vehicle longitudinal direction for guiding the arm support.
The object of the invention is to provide an armrest subassembly of the kind mentioned at the beginning which is characterized by a novel guide device.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the guide device has just one guide element which extends longitudinally along the adjustment direction and with which the arm support is guided in the adjustment direction so that forces acting on the arm support in the vehicle longitudinal direction are introduced through the guide element into the supporting door element and movement of the arm support in the vehicle longitudinal direction is substantially prevented.
The adjustment of the arm support need not thereby take place exactly parallel to the vertical vehicle axis. Rather, it is decisive that the adjustment movement comprises a substantial component along the vertical vehicle axis so that the arm support is raised or lowered during an adjustment movement.
The just one guide element need not be a one-piece guide element. Rather the guide element can also consist of several sections arranged in succession along the adjustment direction of the arm support. It is only essential that seen along the vehicle longitudinal axis a guide element runs along the adjustment direction of the arm support only at one point. The guide element thus does not comprise several separate guide elements spaced from each other along the vehicle longitudinal direction, but viewed in the vehicle longitudinal directionxe2x80x94only one cohesive guide area. This is designed so that forces acting on the arm support in the vehicle longitudinal direction, which occur for example when supporting an arm, are introduced into a supporting door element without causing undesired displacement of the arm support in the vehicle longitudinal direction or damage to the armrest subassembly.
In addition, the elongated guide element can be compensated to prevent the arm support from tilting about an axis (horizontal vehicle transverse axis) running perpendicular to the door plane, i.e. the plane spanned by the vehicle longitudinal axis and the vertical axis.
The arm support can be fixed on a height adjustable holder, e.g. in the form of a support plate and thus can be vertically adjusted together with the same.
The guide element can be formed in particular through a preferably tubular shaped post which can be for example a hollow cylindrical or formed as a profiled part (profiled rail). With a hollow cylindrical design of the guide element this can enable a certain swivel action of the arm support about the extension direction of the guide element.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention the elongated guide element is fixed on a supporting door element; it can however be associated with the vertically adjustable arm support and can be connected thereto.
The elongated guide element is allocated at least one guide member which is displaceable relative thereto whereby the desired adjustment of the arm support can be produced through the relative movement of guide element and guide member.
In particular two guide members spaced from each other along the extension direction of the guide element can be provided displaceable relative to the guide element. The two guide members are thereby arranged so that they have the greatest possible distance along the extension direction of the guide element within the existing structural conditions. As an alternative just one guide member can be provided which has the greatest possible length along the extension direction of the guide element within the existing structural conditions.
In each case it is to be achieved that the guide element on the one hand and the at least one guide member on the other still interact at the widest spaced points possible along the extension direction of the guide element in order to enable an optimum torque compensation which prevents the arm support from tilting.
Depending on the design of the elongated guide element the guide members can be formed by guide bushes, tapered areas of a guide channel or by profiled members.
The guide members are preferably fixed relative to the arm support corresponding to the preferred fixing of the guide element on a supporting door element, e.g. by fixing on the vertically adjustable holder which takes up the arm support.
When using two guide members these are preferably mounted along the vertical vehicle axis so that they extend on one edge of the holder. When using only one guide member this extends over the entire extension of the holder along the vertical vehicle axis.
In addition next to the at least one elongated guide element means can be provided which restrict or prevent swivel movement of the arm support about the vertical vehicle axis depending on whether a restricted swivel movement is to be permissible or whether any swivelling about the vertical vehicle axis is to be ruled out.
These additional means can be formed by supporting areas which are arranged so that they counteract swivelling of the arm support relative to the supporting door element from a predeterminable swivel angle. The supporting areas are preferably arranged spaced from each other in the vehicle longitudinal direction either side of the elongated guide element.
The supporting areas can be formed for example by projections which are provided between the supporting door element and the arm support, namely in particular spaced out from each other in the vehicle longitudinal direction, either side of the elongated guide element. When using a vertically adjustable holder for holding the arm support these projections are preferably located between the vertically adjustable holder and the supporting door element whereby the projections can be provided, for example moulded in one piece in particular on the supporting door element.
According to another variation the supporting areas are formed by two longitudinal guides spaced from each other in the vehicle longitudinal direction and arranged either side of the guide element, along which the arm support or its holder and the supporting door element are coupled together. These longitudinal guides can in turn be formed by a guide channel and an associated guide rod whereby the guide channel can be arranged e.g. on the holder of the arm support, and the guide rod can be mounted on the supporting door element.
It is decisive that the additional supporting areas are provided to prevent a tilting movement of the arm support about the vertical vehicle axis. The introduction of forces acting in the vehicle longitudinal direction into the supporting door element takes place on the other hand solely through the just one elongated guide element provided for this, i.e. that the additional supporting areas are formed so that with an ordinary trouble-free operation of the arm support they do not take up and transfer any forces acting in the vehicle longitudinal direction, but only tilting movements relative to the vertical vehicle axis.
In a further preferred development of the invention elastic means are provided on the adjusting mechanism of the arm support to prevent rattling.